Planning Ahead Doesn’t Need to be Hard
Join us for Sunday Snacks with Sam and Ellie. We’re discussing our approach to preparing meals ahead of time whether it’s for the whole family or a single person. The key is your attitude and approach. It’s all about what works for you and your family!
If you would like to read along, you can CLICK HERE for the transcript.
Sam has a number of tips for feeding your family (she has a family of 4).
- A key point is that the family picks out a meal for the week ahead. By everyone choosing something, it encourages each family member to enjoy something they choose as well as appreciate what others choose.
- She also uses Knock Knock Pads to keep track of items for the next grocery order as well as the week’s menus. They’re a real timesaver.
- Another approach that is incredibly helpful is that when we cook we make enough of a base ingredient for the week at one time. If we are making hamburgers one night, we will plan for chili or pasta with Bolognese sauce. In this way, you’re not really eating ‘leftovers,’ since you’re planning several different meals.
Ellie, who most often cooks for one, has some tips:
- She takes full advantage of internet searches. For example, if she has sweet potatoes and hamburger, she just searches for an ‘easy recipe with sweet potatoes and hamburger.’ If she doesn’t have an item, she’ll search for a substitute.
- She also prepares ahead. For instance, when she buys saladings, she’ll prep it all at one time. Lining a 9×13 baking pan with paper towels, she place the clean lettuce leaves in it. Place another towel on top and cover with the lid. Keeping her refrigerator cold allows the saladings to easily last 1-1/2 to 2 weeks. She preps mushrooms, peppers, and onions in their own containers as well.
- She also cooks a large, family-size amount of soup or stews, then freezes them in appropriate-sized containers. Yogurt containers, etc make great smaller servings. You can write what they are and date them with permanent markers.
Both Sam and Ellie take advantage of crockpots, oven-roasted and single pan meals. The key is:
the valuable point is that food prep is what it needs to be for your family.
Pay attention to what you do a lot of … and prepare accordingly. Ellie often bakes a family-sized pack of chicken breast, cutting them in half, wrapping them individually in plastic wrap. Then she places them in a plastic bag in the freezer. This allows her many single meals, or she can pull out more for guests or add to a soup or stew.
Start with a meal or two. Then gradually plan for an entire week. You’ll save a lot of stress and time as well as money. Let us know what works for you. Have a question? Just let us know. We’ll try to help.
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